Page 8 - Good News March 2018 paper

young preacher was walk-
ing with an older, more everal years ago a farmer increased his farm-holding from 300
A"seasoned" preacher in a acres to 9 000 acres. Everyone was proud of him and glad to
garden one day. Feeling a bit Ssee him prosper.
insecure about what God had in He had a lovely family - two boys and a girl, and one of the sweetest
mind for him to do, he was asking wives in the world. He was a leader in the church and the family was
the older preacher for some very faithful.
Needless to say, he became very wealthy. Life was good. As the
advice. responsibilities of the farm increased, his involvement with the
The older preacher walked up to church decreased.
a rosebush and handed the Over time the entire family became so involved with the farm and the
young preacher a rosebud and wealth that they all became unfaithful and placed the church on low
told him to open it without priority in their lives.
tearing off any petals. The young The father died and the children fought over the land, lost it, and
preacher looked in disbelief at spent all the inheritance.
the older preacher and was Today, they have very little to do with each other and have gone
trying to figure out what a rosebud could possibly have to do through several difficult personal problems. Their mother died in
with his wanting to know the will of God for his life and ministry. poverty and loneliness.
Because of his great respect for the older preacher, he What good does it do to gain the whole world and yet lose your soul
proceeded to try to unfold the rose, while keeping every petal and those of your loved ones? What can the world give in place of the
intact… It wasn't long before he realized how impossible this soul?
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was.
Noticing the younger preacher's inability to unfold the rosebud
without tearing it, the older preacher began to recite the
following poem…
It is only a tiny rosebud,
A flower of God's design;
But I cannot unfold the petals
With these clumsy hands of mine.
The secret of unfolding flowers
Is not known to such as I.
GOD opens flowers so sweetly,
When in my hands they die.
If I cannot unfold a rosebud,
This flower of God's design,
Then how can I have the wisdom
To unfold this life of mine?
So I'll trust in Him to lead me
Each moment of my day.
I will look to Him for guidance
Each step of the pilgrim way.
The pathway that lies before me,
Only my Heavenly Father knows.
I'll trust Him to unfold the moments,
Just as He unfolds a rose...